Radio system for a closed user group

• US 6,014,563 A
• Filed: 09/23/1996
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel NV (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel NV (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Szabo, Laszlo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US08/682,675
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/433, 455/438, 455/463, 455/552, 455/561, 455/435, 455/551, 455/560, 455/554, 455/555
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

To implement a radio system (PRS) for a closed user group by simple means and at low cost, a device (MONE) is proposed which connects at least one commercially available base station (BTS1, BTS2) to a telecommunication network (PSTN) via standard interfaces (PCM30, Abis). The device comprises a subscriber data base (ID) and means (MM) for checking whether a transmitted subscriber identification (IMSI) authorizes a subscriber to access the radio system (PRS). The device further controls the establishment and release of calls (CC) and performs radio resource management functions (RR). A radiotelephone (MS) authorized to access the radio system (PRS) is connected to the nearest base station (BTS1) at least for the duration of the call.

Claims

1. A radio system (PRS) for subscribers forming a closed user group, comprising

radiotelephones (MS) which transmit respective subscriber identifications (IMSI) for establishing radio calls,

at least one base station (BTS1, BTS2), and a device (MONE) including means for connecting (IF1, IF2) the at least one base station (BTS1, BTS2) to a public switched telecommunication network (PSTN), a subscriber data management means (MM) and a subscriber data base (ID) to check by means of said subscriber data management means (MM) whether a given transmitted subscriber identification (IMSI) authorizes a subscriber access to the radio system, and base station control means (RR) which assigns an authorized subscriber with radiotelephone (MS), at least for the duration of a radio call, to one base station of the at least one base station (BTS1), wherein the radiotelephones (MS) include card-reading devices for reading authorization cards, on each of which a subscriber identification (IMSI) for the radio system (PRS) for subscribers forming said closed user group and another subscriber identification for a public mobile-radio system are stored on opposite sides thereof, wherein said cards have contact areas on both of said opposite sides and, depending on which side is facing toward contacts of the card-reading devices,

said card-reading devices read said respective subscriber identifications from said cards inserted by said subscribers for the radio system for subscribers forming said closed user group or for said public mobile-radio system, wherein said subscriber database is checked against said given transmitted subscriber identification with said subscriber data management means (MM) and wherein said authorized subscriber is granted access to said closed user group or to said public mobile-radio system.

2. A radio system (PRS) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the radiotelephones (MS) and the at least one base station (BTS1, BTS2) are commercially available radiotelephones and base stations, respectively, which are usable in a public mobile-radio system.

3. A device (MONE) for implementing a radio system (PRS) for a closed user group, said radio system (PRS) comprising at least one base station (BTS1, BTS2) for radiotelephones (MS) which transmit respective subscriber identifications (IMSI) for establishing radio calls, said device (MONE) including means for connecting (IF1, IF2) the at least one base station (BTS1, BTS2) to a public switched telecommunication network (PSTN), a subscriber data management means (MM) and a subscriber data base (ID) containing subscriber data to check with said subscriber data management means (MM) whether the transmitted subscriber identification (IMSI) authorized the subscriber to access the radio system, and base station control means (RR) which assigns the authorized subscriber with radiotelephone (MS), at least for the duration of the radio call, to one base station of the at least one base station (BTS1), wherein the radiotelephones (MS) include card-reading devices for reading authorization cards, on each of which a subscriber identification (IMSI) for the radio system (PRS) for subscribers forming said closed user group and another subscriber identification for a public mobile-radio system are stored only one at a time of which is read by said card-reading device for transmission on said transmitted subscriber identification (IMSI) wherein said subscriber database is checked against said transmitted subscriber identification with said subscriber data management means (MM) and wherein said authorized subscriber is granted access to said closed user group or to said public mobile radio system.

4. A device (MONE) as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for connecting the at least one base station (BTS1, BTS2) to the telecommunication network (PSTN) are a first interface circuit (IF1), by means of which the device (MONE) exchanges with the telecommunication network (PSTN) standard protocols (PCM 30) for the establishment and release of a multiple link (MSL) or of two or of more single links (SL), and a second interface circuit (IF2), by means of which the device (MONE) exchanges protocols, particularly standard protocols (Abis) for base station control, with the at least one base station (BTS1, BTS2).

5. A device (MONE) as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a processor-controlled circuit (RIL) including the subscriber data base (ID), said processor-controlled circuit being connected to the first and second interface circuits (IF1, IF2) and controlling a subscriber data management (MM), the establishment and release of calls (CC) between the subscribers, and the base station control means (RR).

6. A device (MONE) as claimed in claim 5 wherein the processor-controlled circuit (RIL) assigns an idle duplex radio channel and maintains the radio link to radiotelephone (MS) and to the base station (BTS) for the duration of the call implementing a fixed cellular system whose subscribers are constantly within one radio cell.

7. A device (MONE) as claimed in claim 5 wherein the processor-controlled circuit (RIL) controls the establishment and release of calls (CC) between the subscribers of the radio system (PRS).

8. A device (MONE) as claimed in claim 3 which is integrable into the base station (BTS).

9. A base station (BTS) for implementing a radio system (PRS) for a closed user group wherein radiotelephones (MS) transmit respective subscriber identifications (IMSI) for establishing radio calls, said base station (BTS) including a device (MONE) for providing the connection with a telecommunication network (PSTN), said device (MONE) including a subscriber data management means (MM) and a subscriber data base (ID), which contains subscriber data to check by means of said data management means (MM) whether the transmitted subscriber identification (IMSI) authorized the subscriber to access the radio system, and base station control means (RR) which assigns the authorized subscriber with radiotelephone (MS), at least for the duration of the radio call, to the base station (BTS), wherein the radio telephones (MS) include card-reading devices for reading authorization cards, on each of which a subscriber identification (IMSI) for the radio system (PRS) for subscribers forming said closed user group and another subscriber identification for a public mobile-radio system are stored only one at a time of which is read by said card-reading device for transmission on said transmitted subscriber identification (IMSI) wherein said subscriber database is checked against said transmitted subscriber identification with said subscriber data management means (MM) and wherein said authorized subscriber is granted access to said closed user group or to said public mobile radio system.